Always More Trouble

Mikoto raced forward. His legs carrying his entire body like a lightning bolt. Quick, succinct movements, side-to-side, without wasting a second. Without letting up on his speed Mikoto struck out. His claws flashing out to his sides, hesitating in mid-air for but a moment before they fell down like a thrusting sword. It pierced the first man, sent him spiraling to the ground, however, Mikoto zigged quickly, moving from the fallen man to one of the hundreds still standing. Mikoto tightened his fist as he sped forward, turning his running momentum into pure speed into punching power. Mikoto's first punch blew one of the men down, quickly pivoting he kept the speed, transferring it into a second rising punch which feasted on his opponent's ribcage, causing them to buckle over, putting their face into the perfect position for Mikoto to lift his knee upwards and smash it into his face, throwing him backwards and collapsing upon the ground.

Speaking of the ground, it soon turned red hot, erupting into flames as Shane barreled down the front line, hooking two or three men with each of his outstretched arms, blowing them down and sending them collapsing to the ground. Shane grabbed onto one of the bits and pieces of rock that he had blown up and re-heated it with his hand. Quickly spinning around and tossing it into a pack of intruders. Once more it acted like a miniature hand-grenade erupting with burning shards of stone that smashed into the warrior's faces, whizzing by making the barest contact with their cheeks, but still managing to rip flesh from their bones creating horrible bleeding scars.

Immediately following up on the combined attacks came Bando. The man was built like a truck and he was showing off why his strength was like that. He threw a heavy-handed punch that came through like a monster. It blew into a man's gut, lifting him a whole three feet up and off of the ground. The man's entire body was thrown backwards, bucking like a bronco...probably would've been sent flying if Bando hadn't grabbed onto the back of his head. Whipping the warrior around and sending him crashing down the line and right into another one. Of course, Bando still wasn't done. Tucking his guard in tightly and charging like a bull. He used his elbow, swung upwards like a deadly scythe. It smashed into his opponent's lowered jaw, blowing it upwards and probably breaking it in three places. With that elbow now raised, he snapped it down, transferring its status from scythe to axe. It fell like a meteor straight into the back of his head, catapulting it like a boulder into the ground beneath him.

The men that had come out to face him, the supposedly level 6 Predators were being whipped around like rag dolls. These were three high class pirates men like this weren't even worth them getting out of bed. Mikoto, Shane, and Bando were already beginning to tire slightly. Hiro-Shu and Enma were sent on ahead of them to reel Aaron back in and provide him with any back-up should he need it. However, Aaron easily outsped all of them. They wouldn't be able to catch up to him easily. No, even with difficulty they couldn't catch up to him. They would be going way too slow to find him. Aaron was probably breaking the speed limit with those legs of his. He was going to cause up trouble, it may not have been his intention, but he would accidentally be giving them the distraction they needed. He may be their friend, their fellow pirate, but it was just what they needed. If he survived they would have to thank him for his help.

"Ship off the eastern side," Shane pointed out causing everybody to turn to the left and see the large pirate ship docking. Mikoto and Bando looked down there however, they felt a need to make a slight addendum of their comrade's observation.

"There's three ships," Mikoto blatantly stated and which Bando nodded in agreement. Shane rolled his head at them and shrugged. Three ships or three thousands it could only mean one thing. They were screwed. Hell, more than screwed. After all, they had ordered no back-up and they doubted that even if they did somebody would come. Nobody was on the sides of the three punk pirate captains trying to take down somebody who just resigned from the status of Shichibukai. They were screwed. That was evident. The question was who were the new recruits? It wasn't a Marine ship so they could consider themselves thankful for that, although Marines would at least be attacking the Fox Brothers too at this point. These new pirates were basically wild cards. Mikoto just hoped that they would work with them...it didn't matter if they were allies exactly...just as long as they were enemies of the Fox Brothers that would work out well for them too. However, they doubted it.

"How did you guys get this far with such horrible luck," muttered Shane as he stood up and began walking toward the gate once more calmly. Mikoto looked back at the ships once more, frowned briefly before shrugging it off. "I've never had such bad luck, but since meeting you I got attacked by a Shichibukai and then getting here we see horrible ships on horizon. Not to mention back at the URA..."

"You were at the URA?" Mikoto asked as he sped up next to Shane. Shane grunted, pushing Mikoto aside and striding in front of him.

"Yeah, didn't I already say something of that," Shane muttered, "I was back at the URA. I even competed in a fight or two while your crew was there. Surprised you don't remember me." Mikoto shrugged as if it didn't matter causing Shane to grab Mikoto and slam him into the ground. "Goddammit! I fought there and the only thing you can do is shrug it off! I could've kicked Trevor's ass if he challenged me to a fight! Hell, I was planning on doing it to if it wasn't for that damn Buster Call."

"Hey, how did you guys get out of the Buster Call anyways," Mikoto asked. Surely Shane didn't have someone from the Marines on their side. Mikoto was certain the only reason they got out was cause of Valerie Steele and that masked fellow aided them in breaking out. If Shane didn't have someone like that on their side then he must've had another trick up his sleeve. It may be handy if they had to do a mass exodus here.

"I met the third strongest man I've ever laid eyes on on that island," explained Shane. "Armani Dove...a pirate who had managed to evade the eyes of the World Government. He and I had a temporary alliance until we got off of that island. I don't know what it was, but that guy seemed to be one or two steps ahead of the Buster Call...I think he even knew that the Buster Call was coming before it hit." Shane shook his head. "I have no idea why I felt that way, but trust me Armani Dove was definitely a pirate that would be worth a good fight. You ever meet him tell him I'm still waiting for our fight."

"Where did he go?" asked Mikoto.

"He was captured by the Marines."

"You weren't very good at upholding your alliance," muttered Bando. Shane swung his axe, slapping him asides with the back of his blade and blew him down to the ground.

"I protected him and he protected me, I have no idea why he went back to the Marines, but he said something about greeting a new era," Shane shrugged it off as he moved forward. "However, I do say that you should meet him at least once. I think you and him would probably get along with one another." Mikoto smiled as he kept up with Shane. Mikoto's pace was a little quicker and soon he overtook him, however, as soon as he did Shane doubled his pace to make sure he stayed in the lead. However, just like him Mikoto doubled his speed and was in the lead again. The two continued like this for awhile as soon as one overtook the other, the other sped up. Neither one wanting to lose their little race. Bando just stayed behind them, keeping his pace to the same old thing. Never increasing or decreasing his speed at all. He had his own opinions of things. It was just nice to be on this island again. He sighed and wiped his sweat off. So many fights were definitely starting to take their toll on him.

"Idiot," he muttered beneath his breath.

"Who you calling an idiot!" shouted Shane and Mikoto turning to face Bando. Bando just laughed at them and shook his head. "Its obvious he's talking about you," laughed Mikoto turning around and beginning to walk forward again, but he was tripped up by Shane, pulling his axe around Mikoto's right leg and sending him crashing to the floor.

"You're an idiot who can't even walk properly," muttered Shane, turning and continuing down the path, but Mikoto rolled onto his stomach and chased at him. The two of them having completely forgot about Bando was standing behind. Bando shrugged, glad they forgot about his little outburst there. The two of them seemed to get along pretty well despite having their differences. If they were with them back when the Fox Brothers took over this island it was possible that they wouldn't have lost it. He had called himself the idiot for giving in back then.

(-on the ships-)

"Let's get 'er done," said the man as he tipped his large brimmed cowboy hat down his head as he strode forward, hopping off of the ship. "We don't got no time for this. The Fox Brothers are probably getting their crap together now, but we can't let that slow us down. They double-crossed the Marines, which means they double-crossed us, right, Mistress Shichibukai?" he asked looking over his shoulder and at the ship, but nobody appeared. "Damn, don't even know if she's there or not thanks to that Devil Fruit of hers. Oh, well, she's probably the best one for the job. Nobody else could handle this excellent mess we are getting ourselves into."

"Report's done, boss!" shouted another small guy as he jumped down from the sky landing next to him. He had light blue wings for arms. His entire body was shielded behind his shroud of feathers before his wings shrunk back into his body revealing normal human hands and such. He obviously had some kind of Devil Fruit power.

"I ain't the boss, remember!" shouted the man as he kicked the man and sent him down to the ground. "The boss is the mistress. Give her her respect and don't call me her title! She's the boss, got it? I didn't do nothing to deserve that title unlike her." The man's loyalty knew no-bounds. He hated it when people gave him credit for things their boss had done. She was definitely a gifted Shichibukai and he loved working for her. She did him several favors since they met and he returned it to her for his undying loyalty.

"Okay, I'll go get her," he stated as he stood up and moved into the forest.

"Where are you going?" asked the man as he moved forward and quickly joined up with him. "The boss is still on the ship, she just hasn't come out yet."

"Nope, she's out on the island somewhere I saw here when I was flying above. I thought it was odd that you weren't with her," he explained causing the man to hang his head. "Your loyalty is so strong that you and her are always side by side, so I'm amazed you finally gave her some alone time rather sticking to her side once more."

"Moron," he said as he sped forward into the forest, "I don't stick with her cause of my loyalty! I stick to her cause I know if I leave her alone she'd get lost! That girl has a horrible sense of direction! Shichibukai or not...she'd have died at sea with her navigational skills, come on!" he shouted waving his hand forward causing the young man to chase into the forest after him a noticeable look of worry appearing on both of their faces. Their captain was going to get lost on this island somewhere! They disappeared into the forest and were soon out of sight of the rest of their friends who were still unloading the ship.

"Oh, man!" shouted a voice as she came into view and out of the forest and looked around her. "I'm back where I started."

"Mistress Ai!" shouted one of the men as they jumped off of the ship and ran up to her. "Its nice to see you agai-" he was soon sent spinning away from her and into the ship.

"Don't call me Mistress," she complained as she walked up to the ship and walked up the gangplank. She didn't understand it. She could've sworn she had walked in a straight line all the way! And now what do you know? Here she was. She could only assume some weird Devil Fruit user was in the base and they had the unique ability to make people who walk in straight lines turn. "Where's Jeremy at?" she asked shooting the man who she had just sent flying. "I'm sure he wants me to check in. I swear he looks at me like I'm some sort of a child," she crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks.

"Well, Mis..." the man quickly caught himself. Jeremy often called her that cause of his background, but she didn't particularly like that name and the only reason why Jeremy ever got away with it was cause they had been together for so longer and she knew he called her that out of loyalty. "I think he went into the woods to get you."

"What? You mean he got lost?" she shouted turning around to face him, a smile on her face, glad that for once she wasn't the one to get lost...although she did...and he didn't. "I'm going to go find him now and rub his face in it!" she shouted going to the ground and immediately walking back into the forest. "Which way did he go?"

"Uh, he went east."

"Oh, come on, kid!" she complained. "I don't have a compass on me and even if I did it wouldn't work. Tell me left or right."

"Uh, left?" stated the man. Ai nodded, once again beaming at the news before walking forward...and immediately turning right. It was hard to imagine that that loud-mouthed, lost going straight, rubbing her best friend's nose in something that she imagined was a Shichibukai...or at least was if you didn't see her fight. The woman was stronger, more talented, and deadlier than any pirate or Marine the young pirate had ever laid eyes on. She was someone who you had to watch out for. And she was here because the Marines had expressly asked her to deal with the mess that the Fox Brothers had created by dropping out of the Marines...or at least that's what they had told her. She was headstrong and didn't care too much about the Fox Brothers dropping out. However, she was the closest one. And with her...eh, unique personality it would've been questionable if she would've went if they had told all Shichibukais to go there. No she was just here cause the Marines called her 'specially suited to handle this task'. If only she knew that 'specially suited' meant the closest one to it.

Then again it didn't matter. As a Shichibukai they were allowed to turn in the heads of the men they killed. And like all pirates they had a special love of gold. Since the Fox Brothers had dropped out of their ranks as a Shichibukai their bounties were active again. They could easily make money off of this trip.

What's One More Shichibukai?

Did I skip a week? It says it been awhile since I uploaded a chapter to this and I have this chapter just randomly on my computer. I don't know, maybe I just uploaded it and forgot to post it. Possible. Done it before. Worries me that if that did happen nobody bothered to say nothing, oh well.